A Beautiful Nightmare
by snowwhitequeen30
Summary: After an unexpected encounter, Sakura thought she had finally found true love. However, things aren't always as they seem and she must find the strength to walk away from the man who had given her so many beautiful memories. [KibaSaku, KakaSaku]
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This story is based loosely around my last relationship, but is adapted to the Naruto universe to fit the characters. My hope is to share my experience and hardships with those who may be going through or have gone through similar things. All character deaths (no major) are based on loved ones I've lost over the past three years, and a majority of events/conversations revolve around real events. The story will start with a glimpse of the present, before going back and telling the events of the past two and a half years. Enjoy!

* * *

 _"and I wanted her because I felt her._

 _I felt all the love she had and all the pain she shouldn't have had._

 _I felt her flowing inside me and by the end of the night, I was hers..._

 _And she was mine and when we were together the brokenness meant nothing._

 _I was happy and she, too, was happy and there was nothing better than that."_

 _-r.m. drake_

* * *

 **Present:**

Sakura's tears fell freely from her cheeks, soaking the thin fabric of her sky-blue kimono. A pair of calloused hands rose to wipe her tears away, tucking a stray strand of pink hair behind her ear. "Am I wrong? Should I not feel the way I do?"

The man standing in front of her looked up to the moon, deep in thought. "How you feel matters. Never let anyone take that away from you." His half-lidded eyes turned back down to hers. A pained expression crossed his face, as if he had so much more to say but couldn't.

"I don't know what to do." Her fist was wrapped tightly around the necklace hanging from her neck, "things were so perfect, and we still have our moments, but when things get bad… It gets _really_ bad." She closed her eyes, letting out a small sob.

Arms engulfed her, trying to calm her shaking body. She nuzzled her face into his chest, clenching the fabric of his shirt. Strong hands rubbed her back, soothingly as he whispered to her quietly, "please don't cry, Sakura. It'll be okay."

* * *

 **Past (Two and a Half Years Ago):**

 _"Sakura,_

 _Given our last discussion,_

 _I think it's best if we part ways._

 _~Sasuke._ "

Sakura stared down at the scroll in her hand, fighting back the pain rising in her chest. Their last encounter clung to her memories.

 ** _"Why must you leave again? Sasuke, it's been four years." Sakura's voice cracked. "Stay with me, please." Tears welled in her eyes._**

 ** _"Sakura, you know why I have to leave."_**

 ** _"Let somebody else go!" Her eyes pleaded with his, and for a second she saw a flash of sorrow cross his._**

 ** _"With the Rinnegan, I'm the only one who can track the Ōtsutsuki activity. You know this."_**

 ** _"Then let me go with you." She pleaded._**

 ** _"The village needs you here."_**

 ** _Sakura clenched her teeth, "but what about what I need?"_**

After the war, her and Sasuke had maintained a long-distance relationship for nearly four years, but during their last rendezvous, she couldn't hide the fact that she missed and longed for him dearly.

She felt a twinge of guilt rise within her. Sakura knew he desperately fought to cleanse his sinful past. She knew he had felt guilty for burdening her with his long absences. Even though he had never specifically told her this, she was intelligent enough to pick up the subtle hints. And now she had pushed him away. Her words must have pushed him to believe he wasn't the man who could give her what she needed, so he made the choice. He set her free.

She silently cursed herself, but perhaps Sasuke's decision was for the best. While she loved him dearly, she couldn't deny the loneliness and longing she felt as she watched her friends happily start their families. Naruto was with Hinata, Ino with Sai, Shikamaru with Temari, and Choji with Karui.

The only ones left single from the Rookie Nine were Shino and Kiba. She slightly doubted Shino would ever find someone, and Kiba had been in a long-term relationship with Hime, the daughter of the Land of Fire's Daimyō. However, that relationship ended when Kiba discovered she had cheated on him with a man her family considered better suited for their 'royal bloodlines'.

Poor Kiba had been head over heels in love with that girl, and the news hit him hard. Even after finding out, he begged her to choose him, but she was too afraid to betray her families wishes, and chose the other man. Kiba tried to act the same, but his frequent disappearances from the village told his friends otherwise.

Setting the note on her coffee table, Sakura placed her head in her hands. What would she tell Naruto and her friends? She wasn't quite ready to deal with their sad faces and apologetic eyes. She needed time to process and accept Sasuke's letter before she could tell them.

Knowing a sleepless night was in store for her, the tired kunoichi headed to her bedroom.

* * *

Nearly a month had passed and Sakura had yet to tell her friends about the break up. She had successfully buried herself in work and research, so she had rarely seen any of them. It also helped that Naruto had been gone the past three weeks on a mission, but she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it much longer.

"Sakura! You're needed in the ANBU ward!" One of the nurse's burst into her office.

Grabbing her lab coat, Sakura quickly headed towards the section of the hospital that was dedicated solely to the ANBU. Given the importance of their secret identities, the only ones with access to that part of the ward was herself, Shizune, the Hokage (past and current), a select few nurses, and of course, the ANBU.

Walking hastily into the room, Sakura pulling her pen from her pocket, "what happened?"

"A paper bomb went off. I didn't see it... he tried to save me." A masked man responded.

Nodding at the man, she stepped forward to pull back the curtain, observing the unconscious ANBU. The sight stopped her in her tracks. The man wasn't badly injured, but half of his mask had been destroyed, revealing a very familiar face.

 _'Kiba?'_ That would explain why he was rarely seen anymore.

She quickly went to work observing the damage and running her healing chakra over his body, mending broken bones and burnt skin. From the looks of it, he had been far enough away that the damage wasn't too severe.

Sensing the nervousness of the other man, she tried to reassure him, "he will be okay. I healed his ribs and arm, and the burns weren't major. The blow knocked him unconscious and gave him a slight concussion, but I've reduced the swelling. He should be awake some time tomorrow."

The ANBU silently nodded his thanks, as a sudden thought crossed her mind and her eyes widened in panic, "where's Akamaru?" Kiba would be devastated if something had happened to him.

"Well, the mission," the ANBU hesitated, but not for the reason she feared, "...required we be more discreet, so Akamaru is at Kiba's house."

"Oh, good." Sakura let out a sigh of relief. "I'll come back to check on him throughout the day to monitor the swelling, but everything should be fine." She checked on him one more time, before heading back to her office.

* * *

The rest of her shift passed by uneventfully as she made her rounds and completed paperwork. Sakura grabbed her purse, as she headed towards Kiba's room to check on him.

The masked ANBU that was there earlier was long gone, leaving an unconscious Kiba alone. Placing a gentle hand on his forehead, she noted the swelling had gone down considerably. Happy he was recovering, she smiled softly to herself as she jotted down a few notes. Pulling the curtain back around his bed, a slight movement from outside caught her eye.

Peering out the window, she spotted a very pregnant Ino leaving the hospital, greeted by Sai. She watched as he pulled her into a hug, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. Reaching for her hand, they walked off hand in hand. A sad smile crossed Sakura's lips. She was happy for the two, but her heart ached as she silently wished she had someone to greet her after a long shift. They were about to start a family of their own, and there she was, single and getting ready to return to an empty home.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the pair of eyes watching over here closely, "are you okay?"

Sakura jumped at his voice, surprised that he was even awake. "You're the patient, I think I'm supposed to be asking you that." She teased, but Kiba's questioning gaze didn't waver. "Yes, yes. I'm fine." She tried her best to smile.

"Sakura, you don't look fine." Shooting him a questioning glare, he quickly corrected himself, "I didn't mean it that way! You just... you look sad."

Letting her shoulders slump with a sigh, Sakura walked over and took a seat on the hospital bed next to him. She knew he wouldn't give up until she told him. "I guess I might as well tell you. Sasuke and I," she searched for the right words, "decided to end things."

Kiba's eyes widened in surprise, "I'm sorry, Sakura." He said softly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay," she looked down at her fidgeting hands. "He's been gone for a majority of our relationship. It shouldn't be too hard to adjust to."

"He's an idiot."

Slapping him playfully on the arm, Sakura couldn't help but giggle.

"Ouch!" He feigned hurt, "what was that for? I'm just being honest." He smirked, exposing his pronounced canine.

"I just wasn't expecting that response." Her smile faltered when her eyes spotted the ANBU tattoo on his upper left arm, reminding her of why he was in here in the first place, "so, the ANBU?"

"Yeah." The look in his eyes made it clear that he didn't want to talk about it, "could you keep that between us? It's _supposed_ to be a secret." A smirk returned to his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"As long as you don't tell anyone about Sasuke and I. You're the only who knows so far."

"Really?" He asked surprised. "Why haven't you told anyone yet?"

"I wasn't ready. I knew I'd turn into a blubbering mess if I told everyone right away." She looked at the ground, suddenly becoming very interested in the tiled floors.

"We've all seen you cry, Sakura. That's nothing new." Kiba laughed, earning another smack on the arm.

"Jerk." She mumbled, hopping off the bed with a smile on her face.

Instantly switching into work mode, she turned to Kiba, "how are you feeling? I didn't think you'd be awake so early."

"A little stiff, but I feel fine." Kiba stretched his arms, before hopping off the bed to grab his bag. "Thanks for patching me up, doc."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "I didn't discharge you yet."

Sliding on his replacement mask, Kiba made his way to the window, "I won't tell if you won't." She could hear the amusement in his voice as he disappeared from her sight.

"Men." She huffed, a small smile reaching her lips.

* * *

Walking into her apartment, she dropped her belongings at the door and flopped face first onto her couch. She was exhausted, and her cream-colored pillows were just too comfortable to ignore.

' _Maybe I'll just take a quick nap.'_ She thought as she sprawled out, slowly relaxing into a much needed nap.

 _Crash!_

Sakura jumped at the sound of shattering glass.

"Damnit!" A familiar voice yelled from the other room.

Sprinting around the corner, she spotted a familiar blonde in her windowsill. "Sakura, you can't start putting stuff on here! You know this is my window!"

"How about ' _sorry for breaking your vase, Sakura_ '?" She folded her arms across her chest.

Naruto grinned, scratching the back of his head as he mimicked her. "Sorry for breaking your vase, Sakura."

"I have a front door, you know." She placed her hands on her hips as Sai crawled in behind Naruto.

"Where's the fun in that?" Pulling her in for a hug, Sakura let out a defeated sigh as she wrapped her arms around him. How could she stay mad at him?

"I thought you were on a mission, shouldn't you be at home with Hinata?"

"Uh, well. I actually got home last night." Naruto scratched his whiskered cheek, trying to act innocent.

"Working on baby number two, huh?" Sakura elbowed Naruto playfully.

His eyes widened as a telling blush crossed his cheeks.

"So, what are you two doing here?" Peaking over Naruto's shoulder, she smiled warmly at Sai.

"Well, Naruto was visiting, and Ino said you should be done with your shift by now, so we brought you some dinner." Sai lifted the bag he was holding.

"Thank you!" Sakura took the bag and instantly started setting up the table, "Ino couldn't make it tonight?"

"No, she said to tell you sorry. She was just feeling tired after work today and passed out." Sai took a seat at the table as Naruto cleaned up the mess he had made.

"I can imagine. She looks like she's ready to burst!" Sakura laughed softly, "how's Boruto?"

His eyes beamed with happiness, "he's doing great! He does this really cute thing where every time he falls asleep in my arms, he'll wrap his hand around my pinky and if I try to move it, he just squeezes tighter." Naruto proudly held his pinky up with a smile.

Sakura returned his smile, glad to see her friend so genuinely happy after everything he had gone through.

"Sooo…" Naruto grinned mischievously, "when are you and Sasuke going to start having little Uchiha's running around?" He winked at her.

Sakura choked on her soba, completely caught off guard by his question. Panicked, Naruto started patting her on the back, trying to help her as Sai couldn't stop laughing. Ino's mannerisms were staring to wear off on him. Managing to grab her tea, she took a big gulp, regaining her breath.

It suddenly dawned on her that she would have to tell them the truth, as she nervously twisted her tea cup. "Well, actually, there's something I need to tell you guys."

Sai and Naruto watched her intently, noticing her sudden mood change.

"Sasuke and I are no longer together."

They sat there quietly, staring at Sakura in shock, before Naruto slammed his fist on the table, "I'll kill him!"

"Hey! What if I was the one who ended it?" Her brow twitched in irritation. Naruto looked at her as if he were saying, ' _come on now',_ which only managed to increase her irritation.

As if realizing he was making things worse, Naruto grabbed her hand, "but really, Sakura. I'm sorry. Are you doing okay?"

She turned to see the happiness that had been filling his eyes moments before was now replaced with sadness. Her heart ached at the sight.

"I'm fine. Don't look so worried." But her words only increased the concern in his eyes.

"I've read that when going through a break up, ice cream or wine helps ease a broken heart. Shall I get some?" Sai asked innocently.

Naruto and Sakura turned to stare at Sai before bursting into laughter. He sat there, shocked and confused by their reaction. He hadn't been making a joke, perhaps he had read that wrong?

Without saying a word, Sakura stood and walked towards her refrigerator. "Way ahead of you, Sai," she said as she pulled out a carton of ice cream.

Looking at their smiling faces, she realized how silly it had been of her to wait so long to tell them. No matter what the circumstance, they always knew how to cheer her up.

* * *

Sakura let out a frustrated groan. "We're so close!"

Her apprentice, Kiyoshi, quickly dodged her pen that was haphazardly thrown in her frustration. For a few months now they had been working on a jutsu that could reverse brain damage but, with the brain being an incredibly complex organ, it would probably take them a few years to master it.

"Perhaps we should try again tomorrow?" Kiyoshi asked hesitantly. Sakura turned a suspicious glare in his direction, "it's date night." He grinned, sheepishly.

Sakura's glare quickly disappeared, "of course, of course." She waved him off, "go enjoy your night."

He thanked her repeatedly as she watched him grab his belongings and leave.

Even though Kiyoshi had only been her apprentice for a year, she had known him her entire life. Growing up, he had been her neighbor. She had always thought of him as the 'annoying little boy next door', but he had grown up to be a fine medical ninja and she was proud to have him as her apprentice.

"I guess I should head home as well." She mumbled to herself as she locked the research lab.

Listening to the familiar click clack of her heels echoing off the hospital floors, she made her way towards the exit. Stepping outside, she reached to grab her keys from her purse, but stopped when she noticed a figure leaning underneath a lamppost, watching her.

"Kiba?"

"Hey, Sakura." He approached her, a slight nervousness in his step, as Akamaru excitedly ran to her, begging to be pet.

Anytime Akamaru had been hurt, Kiba had always brought him to her. Next to Kiba and his family, Akamaru probably liked Sakura the most, which was always evident whenever they ran into each other. Smiling, Sakura ran her fingers through Akamaru's fur, "what are you guys doing out here?'

Kiba scratched the back of his head, "well, I was wondering, if you wanted to grab some dinner with me?"

Her hand stopped as his question sank in.

 _'He was waiting for me._ ' Sakura smiled at the thought.

Akamaru's tail wagged in anticipation. "I would love to." Her smile eased his nervousness. "Where were you thinking?"

"I was thinking Yakiniku?"

Sakura giggled, "of course you were." Kiba was notorious for his love of meat.

"We can go somewhere else?" He sounded somewhat panicked, "that was just a suggestion."

"No, no. I was just teasing." Sakura nudged him playfully.

They walked side by side, making their way to the restaurant.

"How have things been at the hospital?" Kiba smiled down at her.

"Well, since we're in a relatively stable time of peace, things are slow, thankfully, which gives me plenty of time to focus on my research or to tend to ANBU who go around getting themselves knocked unconscious." She smirked.

Kiba laughed, "low blow, Sakura." She shrugged her shoulders innocently. "So, what are you researching?"

"Thank you," she said as he opened the restaurant door for her. "Well, right now I'm studying the effects of brain damage, whether it be from combat, old age, or an illness like dementia or stroke. My hopes are to develop a jutsu that can effectively reverse the damage that has already occurred to the brain, but reversing something like that has proven to be a bit more difficult than I predicted." She pursed her lips in disappointment.

"Eh, knowing you, you'll figure it out in no time." He smiled confidently.

"What makes you say that?" She asked, curiously.

"Because it's you we're talking about. You're the only person I know who actually knew all of the answers during the written part of the Chunin Exam. We were supposed to cheat, but your smart ass knew all the answers without having to." He laughed as Sakura shook her head, smiling. She enjoyed the compliment.

Their conversation was only interrupted briefly by the waiter coming around to take their order.

"So, what has the _great_ Inuzuka Kiba been up to?" She leaned forward, resting her elbows on top of the table as her chin sat atop her crossed fingers.

"Well you already know my big secret," his fingers scratched his goatee, "but after Hime and I split up, I haven't been up to much besides missions and training." He said, nonchalantly.

"Oh, yeah. I was sorry to hear about that." She gave him a sad smile.

He tried to wave off her concern, "Don't be sorry. It wasn't a healthy relationship at all."

His words piqued her interest, "what do you mean?" She asked before quickly realizing she was prying into his personal life, "sorry, I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to answer that."

"No, no. It's fine." He placed a slab of meat on the small grill in front of them, "Mostly everyone knows about her cheating, but the relationship wasn't perfect before that. I think she liked me because I was different from the guys her family tried to set her up with, but at the same time, she was ashamed of who I was."

Sakura looked at him confused, "she was ashamed of you?"

He nodded, "because I wasn't royalty and her family refused to accept me. I wasn't even invited to family events. The little things she did made it obvious she was ashamed. For example, if we were ever holding hands in public and she saw someone she knew, she'd immediately pull her hand away and act as if I were just her hired bodyguard."

"Kiba, that's awful!" She looked at him in disbelief, "you put up with that for years?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "I thought I was in love and love makes you do stupid things sometimes. I think she only kept me around so long because I waited on her hand and foot."

Sakura shook her head, "I'm sorry, Kiba. If I had known about all that I would have smacked some sense into you sooner."

He laughed at her honest remark, "I really wish you would have. It would have saved me a lot of trouble." Kiba tossed a piece of meat to Akamaru, "but enough about me. Does the newly single Sakura have any potential love interests?" He smirked as her eyes widened from his question.

A small blush reached her cheeks, "oh, no. I hadn't really thought of it. It'll probably be a little while before I get back out there, and who knows who'll even be interested."

Kiba, who was getting ready to take a bite of food, froze, "you're kidding, right?" Sakura stared back at him, puzzled. "Sakura, you're _gorgeous_ , intelligent and extremely talented. As soon as word gets out that you're single, men are going to come flocking to you."

Sakura's heart fluttered. No one had ever called her gorgeous before. "I-I don't know about all that." She laughed nervously, knowing her face had turned beet red.

"No, trust me. At least half the guys in ANBU will be jumping for joy when they find out." Kiba chuckled.

"Shut up," she laughed, "you're joking."

He laughed even more, "I'm completely serious. Before you started working in the ANBU ward, most of them would refuse to go to the hospital unless it was life threatening. Why do you think they always seem to only show up when you're working?"

Sakura's eyes widened in shock. She had wondered why she seemed to deal with a lot more ANBU than the others, but had never given it too much thought. "You aren't joking!"

"Nope!" Kiba was laughing so hard that he had to wipe away the tears that had formed, "I can't believe you didn't know. It's cute how oblivious you are."

His laughter was infectious and she couldn't help but join in. "So it's cute, huh?" She teased him as she cocked her head to the side, waiting for an answer.

Kiba scratched his chin, as he suddenly became nervous. "I mean yeah, but most things you do are cute."

Sakura rolled her eyes, smirking, "how? I'm not exactly known for being delicate and cutesy." She laughed.

He shrugged his shoulders, taking his last bite of food.

"Oh, come on! You can't just say something like that and then not tell me!" She pleaded with him.

Kiba looked up to the ceiling, making a slight humming noise as if he were debating whether or not to tell her, "I don't know, what's in it for me if I tell you?"

"Well if you don't, there's a strong possibility you'll leave here with a black eye." She smiled innocently, acting as if she didn't just threaten him.

"Guess that's a chance I'll just have to take." He smiled back at her, never breaking eye contact as he paid their bill.

Sakura's smile turned into a glare. "One way or another, I'll get it out of you."

"Maybe if you tied me up." He winked at her.

Sakura's jaw dropped, "Kiba!" She slapped him playfully on the arm, bursting into laughter.

"Just a suggestion." They stepped out of the restaurant, laughing at the direction their conversation had turned. Sakura couldn't remember the last time she had laughed this much and it felt as if the stress of her day had just melted away.

"Shall I walk you home?"

Akamaru nudged her hand, wanting her attention.

"Sure, but I'm not tying you up." Sakura teased.

"Damn." He feigned disappointment.

"You're something else." She mumbled, happily as she walked by his side.

"I'm only teasing." He pushed his shoulder playfully into hers.

"I know, I know." She smiled up at him.

' _He seems to have changed.'_ She thought to herself, a little sad that the night was over.

They walked up the stairs to her apartment in comfortable silence before reaching her door. Sakura turned towards him, "thank you for dinner, Kiba. It was really nice seeing you again."

Kiba pulled her in for a hug, "of course, anytime." He took a step back, smiling down at her.

Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. Her eyes flickered back and forth from his eyes down to his lips as she unconsciously licked hers. Why did she have a sudden urge to kiss him? His lips formed a smirk. ' _Shit!'_ She had been caught.

"Can I ask you something?" A glint of amusement in his eyes, "why are you looking at my lips?"

 _'Might as well go for it.'_ Sakura leaned her body closer to his, "why do you think?" She asked him, seductively.

Taking the hint, Kiba wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her body against his. He gazed into her eyes, the glint of amusement had turned to desire, as his lips met hers. His kiss was soft, but passionate. She felt her body protest when he pulled away.

Kiba smiled down at her, placing a kiss on her forehead, "goodnight, Sakura."

"Goodnight, Kiba. Akamaru." She smiled back, patting Akamaru on the head.

' _When did he become a gentleman?'_

Sakura opened the door to her apartment, feeling the emptiness staring back at her that threatened to swallow her whole. "Kiba." Her voice stopped him in his tracks. "Could you stay, for tonight?" She had her arms crossed behind her back, as she looked down to the ground, a blush rising to her cheeks.

He stared at her quietly, shocked by her question. The whole night had taken a strange turn. She had never viewed Kiba in an intimate light before, but something about him drew her to him tonight. Maybe it was the way he made her laugh, maybe it was because they both shared the pain of breaking up, or maybe she was just lonely. She didn't know, but she did know she just wanted to be held tonight.

"Are you sure?" He asked, hesitantly.

She nodded, "I don't want to be alone tonight." Sakura stepped to the side, signaling for Kiba and Akamaru to come in.

His furry white companion took off down the hallway, probably to find the couch. Sakura laughed at Akamaru's retreating figure before turning to face Kiba, who was now approaching her. He didn't speak as his lips crashed onto hers, pushing her slowly into her apartment. Sakura felt him kick the door shut, his lips never leaving hers.

Kiba wrapped his arm around the back of her head, pulling on a handful of pink hair, causing Sakura to let out a small moan. The sound of her moan only fueled Kiba's desire further, as he pushed her against the wall aggressively. His hands moved from her waist down to her ass before he lifted her legs around him. Sakura felt his lips graze her neck as she arched her back in response. He made her feel desired, wanted. It was a high she had never felt before.

Suddenly, his hands let go as she went flying through the air, landing on her bed. She blinked up Kiba, who was now on top of her, smirking down at her.

"You are so gorgeous." He pressed his body against hers, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. The aggressiveness of his kiss earlier was now replaced with something much more tender. "Sakura, we don't have to do anything tonight." Kiba pulled back, staring into her eyes.

Sakura nodded, thankful he wasn't pushing anything.

Kiba wordlessly crawled beside her, pulling her into his chest. His arms wrapped tightly around her. He granted her a sense of comfort she hadn't felt in a while and for the first night in a long time, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

" _I know you're broken and I don't say_

 _this just to say it, but I know you've_

 _been through hell and back and it_

 _has changed you. You're not the_

 _same person I once knew and it's_

 _not that I want to fix you or save_

 _you or anything that has to do with_

 _that. It's more like I will accept you_

 _and take your flaws for more than_

 _what they are. If you're a hurricane_

 _then I'll be the sea that gives you_

 _the strength to go on."_

 _-r.m. drake_

* * *

 **A/N:** Wasn't happy with chapter 2 so it's been edited and updated with a different ending!

* * *

Sakura woke the next morning with the feel of a heavy arm around her waist. She turned to see Kiba, sleeping peacefully.

Trying to wriggle free, his arm unconsciously pulled her closer. "Kiba." She whispered, softly. He responded with a grunt. "Kiba, I have to get ready for work."

He groaned in protest before lifting his arm, "hurry back." One sleepy eye watched her slowly get up.

Sakura smiled back at him as she headed towards the shower. She hurriedly turned the water on and jumped in, eager to get back to his arms. The only man to have ever been in her bed was Sasuke, the _one_ time he had returned to the village. However, it was different with Sasuke. When she had woken up the next morning, he was already gone. There were no warm arms wrapped around her, asking her to hurry back.

Sakura pushed the thoughts of Sasuke away. She now had someone to return to and she wasn't going to waste her time thinking of him. Hopping out of the shower, she dried off and threw on a pair of skin-tight black shorts and a white tank top before walking back into her bedroom.

Kiba was sound asleep, but the feel of her lowering herself on the bed caused him to stir. His eyes opened as he smiled up at her, "you're finally back." He pulled her close, pressing her back against his chest. His hand soothingly rubbed the side of her thigh and waist before he fell back into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Sakura sat in her office, going over paperwork for her meeting later today, with a smile on her lips. Her night with Kiba warmed her heart and she couldn't quite describe what she felt but she knew she wanted to chase that feeling. Whatever it may be.

Without warning, her office door swung open. A glaring Ino stared her down, with one hand on her hip and one on her protruding belly, "so," Ino paused for dramatic effect, "you and Kiba, huh?"

Sakura's face widened in shock. ' _How could she possibly know?!'_ Had Kiba gone around bragging about his night with the pink-haired kunoichi? She felt her heart sink. Was all of it just so he could brag to the guys in ANBU about his night with her?

The panic on Sakura's face caused Ino's glare to turn into a smirk, "I knew it!"

Sakura blinked, dumbfounded.

"Sai told me what happened with Sasuke, so I came over with ice cream last night, but… I noticed you weren't alone." Ino winked at her.

The weight on Sakura's heart lifted. Kiba hadn't gone around bragging after all, but now her loud-mouthed best friend knew. "Ino, you can't tell anyone!" Sakura pleaded. If word got out about another man staying at her place, it would be the talk of the town. She didn't want to deal with the rumors, especially when she herself didn't know what was going on between the two of them.

Ino crossed her arms over her chest, "Relax, forehead. Your secret is safe with me, but, you owe me details." Ino smirked, as she shut the office door.

Not sparing any details, Sakura told her about her night, except the part about Kiba joining the ANBU. That was his secret to tell, not hers.

"He was the one who said you guys didn't have to do anything?" Ino asked, disbelief in her voice. Sakura nodded. "So, you guys didn't sleep together?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "no. It's not like you and Sai slept together the first night."

"Of course Sai and I didn't! He didn't even know it was a date until the next day when Naruto asked him how his date was." Ino laughed before continuing, "but what I meant was, Kiba always seemed so impatient and short-tempered. I wouldn't have pegged him as the type of guy that doesn't go for it on the first date."

"Me too!" Sakura exclaimed. "but he seems so different. I think the break up really changed him."

Ino pursed her lips, "hopefully not too much."

* * *

"Overall revenue is down compared to last year, which was expected due to the period of peace we're currently experiencing. Most of our patients these days are civilians or young shinobi, who experience accidents during training." Sakura stood in front of Kakashi, Tsunade, and the Council, providing an update on the operations of the hospital. "With the decrease in patients, we've had a wonderful opportunity to continue our medical research and the team has made some great progress."

Kakashi, who sat at the head of the table, spoke, "and what about your research?"

"Well, Kiyoshi and I have made some great strides, but we're," as she talked about her research, Kakashi raised his hand to his mask. His fingers gripped the thin fabric, slowly pulling his mask down.

Noticing his movement, Sakura instantly froze, no longer able to concentrate on her presentation. _'Is he really about to show his face?!'_

"Sakura?" The Council members noticed she was gawking and turned to face Kakashi, who was now sitting with his hands innocently in front of him, his mask still in place.

"Is something the matter, Sakura?" Kakashi asked, slyly.

 _'He's toying with me!'_

She shot him a glare before everyone's eyes were on her again, "sorry, I just lost my train of thought." She smiled innocently, making a mental note to get her revenge later.

Kakashi shrugged, "happens to the best of us." She could clearly see the smirk under his mask, a hint of playfulness in his eye.

' _That's how he wants to play it, huh?'_ She was already plotting her revenge, "indeed it does." Sakura smiled sweetly, leaving the other Council members completely unaware of her and Kakashi's little game.

For the remainder of her presentation, Sakura refused to make eye contact with Kakashi. Much to his displeasure, she wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice.

"Thank you, Sakura." Homura Mitokado dismissed her.

Sakura bowed and made her way towards the coat rack to grab her jacket. The fall air had grown colder and colder now that winter was almost there.

Reaching up to grab her coat, she accidentally moved Kakashi's jacket, revealing a flash of orange. _'Is that what I think it is?'_ Sakura's heart began to race as her mind began plotting the perfect revenge. She couldn't believe he would leave his precious book in his jacket. She couldn't even remember the last time it was this far away from him.

Nonchalantly, Sakura slid the book into her jacket, making her way casually to the door. She tried to hide her erratic heartbeat, hoping Kakashi wouldn't notice.

As soon as she shut the door behind her, she bee-lined it to her office, knowing she had to work quickly before Kakashi knew what she had done. Sakura suppressed her laughter as she thought of Kakashi's face when he noticed his smut was missing.

 _'He should have known better than to mess with me.'_ Sakura smirked to herself.

Reaching her office, she slammed the door behind her and pulled the curtains closed. She didn't know when he'd realize, but she knew she had to be ready. Sakura quickly pulled scrolls from her desk, and went to work on setting a trap. She wasn't sure when he'd show, or where, but he had a habit of literally popping up in front of her desk on occasion, so she was betting he'd fall into old habits.

After the trap was set, Sakura took a deep breath. She felt a little giddy as she sat down at her desk, pretending to busy herself with work. She could practically hear her heart pounding in her chest, _'will he fall for it?'_ Sakura placed the little orange object, which brought Kakashi so much joy, on the desk in front of her.

Moments passed, and still no Kakashi.

Growing impatient, she picked up the book, eyeing it carefully, _'is it really that great?'_

Sakura started to open the cover, but before she could get any farther, a poof of smoke suddenly appeared in front of her desk, revealing a slightly irritated looking Kakashi.

"YOU!" He yelled, causing Sakura to have flashbacks of the time she got caught feeding Naruto during their bell test.

Before he could make a move, her trap went off, sending an unsuspecting Kakashi in the air. Sakura burst into a fit of laughter, as she approached the now upside-down copy-nin. _'Old habits die hard.'_ She proudly held the book in front of his face, "if the trap is obvious, don't fall for it." She mocked, but before she could gloat further, his dangling body suddenly disappeared.

 _'A shadow clone!'_

Within seconds she felt his presence behind her. He was so close that she could feel his chest against her back. He let out a hearty laugh, causing her to freeze. It was a laugh she had never heard before. "I'll be taking that." He plucked the book from her hand, before disappearing, leaving a shocked and confused Sakura in his wake.

"Damnit!" She slammed her fist on the desk. She should have known it wouldn't have been that easy, but in her excitement, she forgot to cover all the possibilities.

A disappointed Sakura grabbed her things and left her office, leaving the failed trap behind. She normally would have been more irritated, but the sound of his laugh kept replaying in her head. It sounded carefree, and genuine, almost as if he was happy. It wasn't the laugh of the battle-scarred shinobi she had known for so many years.

"Sakura!"

The sound of her name being called snapped her from her thoughts, as she turned to see Kiba and Akamaru approaching her. The sight brought a smile to her face.

"Hey Kiba, Akamaru!" She leaned down to scratch Akamaru behind his ears.

"I was just going to stop by your office and see if you were hungry." Kiba lifted the bag he was holding in his hand, "I ordered take out."

Sakura returned his smile, "barbequed meat?" She teased.

"Yes," he paused, "but I also got some anko dumplings." He smirked, knowing they were her favorite.

She downplayed her excitement, "well, I guess I'll just have to help you finish those." She shrugged her shoulders innocently, causing Kiba to laugh.

"I figured that'd work, I've seen you scarf enough of these down over the years." His canines were on full display as his lips formed another smirk.

Sakura tilted her head to the side, "keep it up." She raised her eyebrows, as if daring him to continue.

"You're not going to attack me, not while I have these." He held the bag up in front of her face, clearly amused.

Sakura rolled her eyes, a smile on her face, "eh, I can just go buy my own." She turned and started to walk away.

"But then you won't have me to keep you company." Kiba called after her.

"Even better!"

"Wait!" Kiba's hand gripped her shoulder, turning her towards him, "I could," he scratched the back of his head, "use the company."

Seeing the pained expression in his eyes, she felt a sudden yearning to take away whatever suffering he was going through, "of course you could, and you chose the right company. I'm an absolute delight to have around." She joked.

Kiba's head tilted back as he laughed, "is that so?" He looked down at her, grinning.

"Yep!" She linked her arm with his, "do you doubt me?" Sakura asked cheerfully, as they made their way to his house.

"Mmm," he looked up to the sky, as if he were deep in thought.

"The correct answer is never." She informed him in a rather matter-of-fact tone.

They looked at each other, before bursting into laughter.

Leaning in closer to him, they continued their friendly banter.

Sakura felt at ease with him, like the troubles of her past no longer existed and given that her heart had been so heavy lately, the feeling of ease Kiba brought to her was in a sense, therapeutic.

* * *

"Oh, shit!" Sakura jumped up from Kiba's bed. The towel wrapped around her wet hair fell to the floor as she ran around his room, trying to get dressed. "I'm going to be late for work!" She had already been up and showered, but the sight of Kiba beckoning her to come back to bed had been too tempting. It didn't help when he wrapped his arms around her small frame, causing her to fall back asleep.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Kiba sat up, "I don't think it matters if _you're_ late. Everyone's too afraid of those fists and that temper of yours."

Pausing in her frantic dash around his room, Sakura scowled in his direction, "you're lucky I'm running late."

"I think I'm just lucky in general." He said with a wink, as he stood to approach her.

Feeling her heart skip a beat, Sakura's scowl instantly disappeared. "Is that so?" She teased.

"Mhmm." Kiba hummed as he cupped her face in his hand, pulling her lips to his. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting out a small squeal as he lifted her up, their lips never parting. "Luckiest man… in the… whole village." He mumbled in between kisses.

Smiling into his lips, she squeezed him tightly before letting go, "I better get going before I'm too late."

Kiba pushed his bottom lip out, pretending to pout, "five more minutes."

Slapping him playfully on the chest, she giggled, "that's what made me late in the first place!" Sakura stood on her tippy toes, placing a quick kiss on his lips, "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Okay." He continued to pout, as Sakura headed towards the door.

Peaking over her shoulder, she stole one last glance at him before leaving for work.

Finally, after all these years, she had someone to come home to.

* * *

Sakura hummed to herself as she looked over the lab results, occasionally smiling to herself. The past few nights with Kiba had been wonderful, and just the thought of him brought about a giddiness in her that she hadn't felt since her pre-academy days. It had been a feeling she didn't think she'd ever feel again, but she was now loving every second of it.

"You're awfully happy today." Kiyoshi eyed her suspiciously.

Pursing her lips, Sakura turned to glare at him, "when am I not happy?"

His eyes widened slightly when he noticed her sudden mood change, "I mean, I just-"

"Ms. Haruno," an ANBU suddenly appeared, "the Hokage requests your presence."

"Right now?" She groaned. The masked ninja nodded. "I'll be right there." She grumbled, watching the man disappear just as quickly as he appeared.

Turning to face Kiyoshi, her scowl returned, "don't think I forgot about you." She warned him, as she left to figure out what the hell Kakashi wanted.

* * *

Bursting into Kakashi's office, Sakura placed her hand on her hip, "what do you want now?"

Looking up from his paperwork, a small smirk spread across his lips, "you know, most people knock before entering."

"Well I guess I'm not most people then, huh?" She smirked back.

"You most certainly are not." He mumbled so quietly she almost didn't hear him, but she did.

Feeling her heart race, she tried to get back on track, "so what was so important that you had to _summon_ me?"

 _'I'm most certainly not? What the hell does that even mean?'_ She thought to herself.

His eye crinkled as he smiled up at her, "actually, I summoned you because you have a mission."

A wave of excitement washed over her. It had been too long since her last mission, and no matter how much she loved her job at the hospital, she still missed being outside of the village. The rush and freedom of a mission was indescribable to her.

Standing up, Kakashi walked around his desk, "in two days, myself and a group of ANBU will be leaving the village to travel to Kiri for an important diplomatic meeting. I'll need you to accompany me as my personal medic."

Sakura felt her shoulders slump in disappointment. Diplomatic missions were her least favorite. "Why not take Tsunade instead? Or even Shizune?" She grumbled.

Kakashi was now casually leaning against the front of his desk, his arms folded in front of his chest as he smirked at her reaction. Sakura was one of the few people he trusted fully, and his relaxed demeanor around her was evidence of that. "If I thought I could drag her out of retirement, I would, but we both know that's not going to happen anytime soon. Day drinking and gambling are on the top of her priority list these days." Sakura lips formed a small smile at his comment as she shook her head, "and I don't work as well with Shizune as I do with you."

"Probably because you're even lazier than Tsunade." Sakura smirked, crossing her arms in front of her as she unconsciously mimicked his body language.

"And you wonder why you get stuck on boring missions." He shot back, enjoying her sudden mood change.

Sakura took an angry step forward, "don't think I won't pummel you in your own office." He lifted his body from his desk, slowly coming face to face with her, "it'll be easy too. You're getting slow in your old age." She was full on grinning at him now, watching his facial expression go from playful, to shocked, to angry. Sakura knew exactly how to get to him.

"What makes you think I'm old?" He pouted, hoping to make her feel guilty.

"Just look at that gray hair." She reached up, tugging on a piece of his hair.

"Silver!" He corrected her, "it's silver hair."

Crossing her arms again, she smiled victoriously, "whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I sleep just fine, thank you." He glared at her, in mock anger before relaxing his shoulders. His eyes softened as he stared at her, "I like your hair like this." Kakashi reached his hand out, twirling one of her curls around his fingers.

Sakura momentarily froze, unsure of how to react. Sure, they had always been playful and teased each other, but he was never one to compliment her in such a way, "oh, thank you. I didn't have time to fix it this morning." She blushed slightly, remembering that it was Kiba who had made her late this morning.

"You should wear it like that more often." His tone was soft, as he smiled down at her.

She nervously ran her hand through her hair, feeling a little self-conscious under his gaze, "really? It looks okay?" He nodded, melting away some of her nervousness, but the intensity of his gaze made her unsure of what to say next, so she blurted the first thing that came to mind, "when do we leave for the mission?"

Snapping back to formalities, Kakashi turned and reached for a scroll, "here are the mission details. It'll be around a three-week trip, but we won't be leaving until next week." Sakura accepted the scroll, nodding as he spoke, "that should give you plenty of time to prepare and cover your shifts at the hospital."

Sakura nodded again, "anything else before I go?"

He paused, looking at her with an unreadable expression, "everything you need to know should be in the scroll." Kakashi walked back to his chair, sitting down with a sigh.

"Then I'll see you in a week, Kakashi." She smirked as his head snapped up.

"That's Hokage to you."

"Yes, Kaka- I mean, _Lord Hokage_." Sakura bowed dramatically, earning a glare from Kakashi. She headed towards the door, glancing at him before she left. His head was resting on his fist, as he watched her leave the room, a faint smile on his lips. She knew she was one of the few, if not the only one in the village, who could away with teasing the legendary Copy Nin.

' _Maybe this mission won't be so bad after all."_


	3. Chapter 3

_"Sitting here,_

 _next to you,_

 _I have come to the_

 _conclusion,_

 _how it is all the same._

 _From the stars to the people,_

 _we are all_

 _struggling with parts_

 _of ourselves_

 _we are too afraid_

 _to reveal."_

 _-r.m. drake_

* * *

"Do you have everything?" Sakura's body clung to Kiba's.

"I believe so." Kiba smirked down at her, knowing she didn't want to let go of him.

"Be careful." She stuck her bottom lip out, pouting.

"Always." He placed a small kiss on her forehead, "I'll see you when you get back from your mission." His grip on her hips tightened, "promise me you'll be safe."

Sakura smirked, pulling Kiba's face closer to hers, "always."

* * *

Standing at the gates of Konoha for over an hour, Sakura sighed. She should have known he would be late. It didn't matter what position he had, or how important the mission was, he would undoubtedly find a reason to be late.

"Yo." Kakashi suddenly appeared out of nowhere, preparing to vocalize his excuse.

Not giving him a chance, Sakura turned and started walking, "now that his _majesty_ has arrived, let's get going."

Catching up with Sakura, Kakashi walked side by side with her as they exited the village, "good to see you too." He teased.

Giving him the side eye, she shook her head, "We were supposed to meet an hour ago. Honestly, I thought being the Hokage would straighten out those lazy habits of yours." She put her palms to the sky as she shrugged her shoulders, "guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks after all."

Scratching the back of his head, he gave her his trademark smile, silently asking for forgiveness, even though didn't need to. She always forgave him in the end. After all, Kakashi wouldn't be Kakashi without his annoying quirky habits.

The two continued walking side by side in comfortable silence, before Kakashi spoke, "so, Kiba?" He looked at her inquisitively, waiting for her response.

Sakura flushed, "what- how?"

He tapped his nose, silently explaining. "That's three times in a row now." Sakura felt her cheeks redden even more, as she nervously looked towards the trees, hoping the ANBU assigned to the mission weren't eavesdropping, "I thought you were with Sasuke?"

Her hand flew to her forehead as she suddenly wished she were having any other conversation besides this one. Was she really going to have to explain this to her old sensei?

No matter how close their friendship had grown over the past few years, it was still undoubtedly awkward. Wanting to get this conversation over with, she responded with as little detail as possible, "Sasuke and I ended things over a month ago."

"And now you're with Kiba?" He asked, without skipping a beat.

"Well," Sakura stalled, "things just kind of started over the past couple weeks." She was sure her face was as red as her top.

Deep in thought, Kakashi didn't say anything as he stared ahead.

Sakura's heart raced as she waited for a response. Tired of waiting, she finally snapped, "what?!"

"Nothing," he held his hands up defensively, "just never pictured the two of you together is all."

Sakura's head snapped in his direction, "and what is that supposed to mean?"

Raising a hand to his chin, Kakashi peered up at the sky, "what was that?" His attention quickly turned to the tree line, "I'll be right there." He called to no one in particular. Smiling back at her, he waved, "excuse me, it seems I'm needed else- "

"Don't you dare!" Sakura interrupted him, as she frantically tried to grab onto his robes, but before she could, he disappeared with a poof. "Kakashi!" She yelled his name in the direction he had disappeared. Her fists clenched at her sides as she debated chasing after him, but that'd mean she'd have to continue their conversation, within earshot of the ANBU.

Sighing, Sakura turned and continued to walk down the path. That infuriating man always knew exactly how to get under her skin.

* * *

Fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat, Sakura stared at the table, wondering what the hell the small silver objects were in front of her. Glancing around nervously, she observed the other dinner guests, trying desperately to determine their purpose, but everyone was so caught up in their conversations that the little mysterious objects went untouched.

A low grumble came from her stomach as she looked helplessly at the food before her. The delicious smells taunted her, reminding her that she was starved. Why the hell wouldn't they have given her chopsticks already?

"Kakashi!" The sound of Kakashi's name being called snapped Sakura from her thoughts as she turned to see Mei, the Mizukage, flirtatiously slapping his arm, letting her hand linger longer than necessary. Kakashi politely moved his arm, reaching for the source of Sakura's current confusion.

Watching intently out of the corner of her eye, she observed as he used the silver, almost trident shaped object, to pick up a piece of fish. _'So they're like chopsticks?'_ Picking one of the silver utensils up, she stared at it curiously, as she ran her fingers over the four prongs.

"It's a fork." Completely unaware of his proximity, Sakura jumped at the sound of Kakashi's voice in her ear.

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "how do you know what this is?" She turned her attention back to the fork, carefully taking in every detail.

"The details were in the mission scroll. Did you not read the part about Kiri's dining etiquette?" He raised his eyebrow as he waited for her response.

"There was nothing in the mission details about dining etiquette." She looked up at Kakashi confused, suddenly catching the playful look in his eyes.

"You really should read those more carefully. It was quite interesting. They're really starting to immerse themselves in Western culture." He chided her.

Gripping the fork in her hand tightly, she clenched her teeth, "I read through that mission scroll twice. I know for a fact it wasn't in there."

"Oh," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "I must have forgot to put that in there."

"You mean this whole time I've been sitting here starving, when I could have been eating… and you're the reason why." If looks could kill, Kakashi would have dropped dead on the spot.

Not feeling threatened by her glare, he shrugged again, "it must have slipped my mind." His facial features softened into a mischievous smile.

"I should stab you with this damn fork." She grumbled under her breath.

"I don't think you could, even if you tried." The playfulness was back in his eyes, as he kept his eyes firmly on her, ignoring the dinner guests.

Taking the bait, Sakura scowled, "you're getting slow in your old age, you better not let your guard down." She smirked confidently as she quickly stabbed a piece of food in front of her, accepting Kakashi's challenge.

* * *

Leaning angrily on the bar, Sakura waved down the bartender. She was in need of a drink. No matter how many times she tried, or how much she thought Kakashi was distracted, she couldn't stab him with that damn fork. Not even once. That infuriating man never left an opening.

As she reached to pour herself a cup of sake, an unfamiliar hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist.

"Please, allow me." Sakura looked up to see a dark-haired man smiling down at her, "Kenshin." He extended his arm out to shake her hand.

"Sakura." Recognizing him from the dinner earlier, she accepted his handshake with a warm smile.

"A very fitting name." He smirked as he handed her a glass of sake.

Grinning, she took a sip, "so I've been told."

* * *

Kakashi chuckled as he watched Sakura storm angrily to the bar. All her attempts at stabbing him during dinner had been thwarted. And as much as he enjoyed their little game, he silently wondered if he should be concerned at how upset she was about _not_ stabbing him. Perhaps he enjoyed teasing her a little too much.

The angry pinkette leaned over the bar, unknowingly letting the slit in her navy-blue dress expose her toned thigh, catching the eye of a dark-haired man sitting in the back of the bar. Kakashi watched as the man approached her and quickly started up a conversation. The two seemingly hit it off quickly, as Sakura talked excitedly.

Smiling to himself, he watched Sakura's eyes light up as her hands moved animatedly. The poor man was hanging off her every word, completely lost in those sea foam green eyes.

Kakashi wasn't surprised, she was a rare beauty after all. A beauty that had become his best friend.

* * *

"How about we go somewhere a little quieter?"

Sakura's smile faltered at Kenshin's question. When she had found out he was the Director of Medicine in Kiri, she couldn't hold back her excitement, but had she given him the wrong impression?

"I'm sorry," she hesitated, "I have a boyfriend."

"Oh, forgive me. I thought you were just his medic." He nodded his head to the left, trying to discreetly point at someone.

"What?" Turning to follow the direction of his nod, she spotted Kakashi, whose gaze lifted to meet hers. He must have sensed the two of them staring. "I am," Sakura's brow creased in confusion, "why would you think we were together?"

"Just the way the two of you were flirting at dinner."

Her heart dropped. _'Flirting?'_ She wasn't flirting with that infuriating man! She was trying to physically harm him. Wasn't that obvious?

"Anyways," his voice snapped her from her thoughts, "it was nice meeting you. Have a good night, Sakura."

Flustered, she watched Kenshin walk away without saying a word, before making her way towards Kakashi. Why the hell would someone think they were flirting?

"What was that about?" Kakashi asked as Sakura took a seat across from him. She was biting her lip, deep in thought, as she completely ignored his question. Waving a hand in front of her face, he finally caught her attention. "What happened?"

"Huh?" Her eyes widened in surprise, "oh, nothing." She faked a smile as she downed her glass of sake, twirling it nervously in her hands, "nothing at all." She mumbled, hoping Kakashi would drop it.

As if reading her mind, he turned his attention back to his book, his eyes lazily scanning the page. A few moments of silence passed before he spoke up again, "that dress really compliments your hair. You should wear navy-blue more often." Kakashi continued reading, never lifting his eyes, as if he were just casually making small talk.

Sakura froze. Had he always made comments like that? She tried to recall their conversations, but nothing like that came to mind. Maybe she was just overthinking because of Kenshin's comment? Or maybe Kakashi had always made comments like that, but she never noticed until now? Regardless, it didn't matter. She was with Kiba now and he knew it. Besides, it wasn't like Kakashi would be interested in her anyway, right? He had been her teacher, for a few short years, and as far as she could tell, he had yet to show romantic interest in any woman.

Suddenly realizing she had never responded, Sakura leaned back with a sigh, "thanks."

She was in need of another bottle of sake.

* * *

The rest of the mission had been uneventful, and after her awkward conversation with Kenshin, Sakura tried her best to avoid Kakashi. She couldn't describe the feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she almost felt as if she had done something wrong. As if she had betrayed Kiba somehow and no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that she had done nothing wrong, she couldn't quite shake the feeling. Needless to say, she couldn't have been happier when she finally spotted the gates of Konoha.

Rushing forward, she waved over her shoulder, "see you later, Kakashi!" Things had been slightly awkward between them ever since that night in the bar, and she felt relieved to finally have a little space from him. That guys comment stuck in the back of her mind, and she needed some time to think it over.

Finally reaching the gates of the village, she smiled when she spotted a familiar head of wild brown hair, "Kiba!" Running towards him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, too excited to notice him wince.

Engulfing her with his arms, he pulled her to his chest. "I missed you." She mumbled into his neck. It felt good to finally be back in his arms.

"I missed you too." He kissed her temple.

Lingering in his embrace longer than necessary, she heard someone clear their throat. "Get a room you two."

Peaking over Kiba's shoulder, she spotted Shikamaru standing there with a smirk on his face. "Oh, hey!" She reluctantly let go of Kiba, a fierce blush taking over her face.

"I'll leave you two love birds alone," he teased as he turned to walk away, "oh and, you better have her look at that." Kiba scowled in Shikamaru's direction.

"Look at what?" Sakura looked up at him, confused.

He hesitated, "I think I may have broken a few ribs during that mission."

Realizing she had pretty much just attacked him with her hug, her eyes widened, "Kiba! I am so sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"No, it's- "

Her shock quickly turned into suspicion. "Wait," she interrupted him, "why didn't you go to the hospital to get that taken care of?"

"Well," he scratched his chin, trying to avoid her glare, "you weren't there, and you know I don't particularly care for hospitals, what with the smells and all…"

Grabbing his hand angrily, she started to pull him in the direction of her apartment, "you and Kakashi both. I swear." Sakura stopped in her tracks. Why the hell was she bringing him up? She had been trying to _not_ think about him.

"Is everything okay?" Kiba looked down at her, a worried look in his eyes.

"Yes, yes." Her scowl softened into a smile as they continued their walk back to her apartment, hand in hand, "I should make you live with those broken ribs for a few more days. You're lucky I like you." Sakura smirked up at him.

"Lucky indeed." They smiled as they turned the corner, lost in each other's company.

"Sakura."

She turned to face the direction of the voice calling her name, "mom?". Mebuki stood in front of her apartment, her hands nervously twisting the tissue in her hand, before bringing it to her eye. The dark circles and bloodshot eyes caused Sakura's heart to drop, "mom, what's wrong?"

Silently, her mom pulled her into her arms, before letting out a small sob, "oh, Sakura."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thank you for the all the follows and kind reviews!

* * *

 _"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,_

 _Love leaves a memory no one can steal"_

* * *

Sakura stood nervously in front of the all too familiar light pink door. It was a door she had walked through many times as a child. A door that had been painted many years ago, to match the color of her hair.

Gathering the courage, Sakura walked into the small house, following the distant sounds of a breathing machine. The inside of the house was exactly as she remembered, but somehow the warmth and happiness she normally felt while visiting, was replaced with a deep sorrow.

Turning the corner, Sakura spotted her. An old greying woman, sitting in an oversized chair in front of a big picture window, watching the birds eating from the feeder. It was a sight Sakura was used to, but the tubes and overall frailty of the woman surprised her.

"Hey, Great Grandma." Sakura placed her hand lightly on Hoshiko Akira, her great grandmother, to let her know she was there.

"Sakura dear," Akira smiled up at her, "oh, look at how you've grown!" A shaky hand reached up to cup Sakura's cheek, "you're as beautiful as ever."

"Thank you." Sakura smiled down at her, feeling a pang of guilt wash over her. It had been too long since she had visited last.

"How are things going at the hospital? Your mother was telling me you have an apprentice now?" She was out of breath from asking those two brief questions.

Trying to hide her concern, Sakura forced a smile, "yes, Kiyoshi. You remember that little brown-haired boy that used to live next to me?" The older woman nodded her head, "that's my apprentice. He's grown into quite a bright, young kid." She smiled proudly, no longer forcing it.

"Oh, is that so?" Her great grandma asked, her voice rising slightly, in an almost shocked tone, "you know, I couldn't be prouder of you." Feeling her eyes well with tears, Sakura turned to face the window, "my little Sakura, making a name for herself."

A single tear broke free, streaming down her face at her grandmother's words. She had made a name for herself. It hadn't been easy, given who her teammates were; the last of the Uchiha clan, and the nine-tails jinchuuriki, the son of the Fourth Hokage. On top of that, her sensei was the legendary Copy Nin, whose name was whispered fearfully across all the Five Great Shinobi Nations. And her? She was that little pink-haired kunoichi who spent too much time fawning over her moody, raven-haired teammate, instead of honing her skills to become a useful and productive member of Team 7.

Despite all that was working against her, she had done it. She had taken her seemingly average ability as a Shinobi, and became a world-class medical ninja. One that was talented enough to inherit the Fifth Hokage's own jutsu; the Creation Rebirth. Average and useless were no longer words used to describe her. She was Haruno Sakura, a kunoichi whose beauty and strength were known throughout the shinobi world.

"He built me this birdhouse, many, many years ago." The two-woman sat quietly, watching the birds fly in, "I miss your great grandfather dearly." Sakura's hand reached out to squeeze her arm reassuringly, "he was by my side for nearly seventy years. Sometimes I wake up and turn to reach for him, but then I remember that he's no longer there, and I'm forced to relive those painful memories. I just want to see him again."

Sakura sat quietly, feeling a twinge of pain in her chest as she tried to fight back the tears that were forming again.

Shortly after the war had ended, her great grandfather had suffered a stroke and passed away a few days later. The damage done to his heart and brain were irreversible. No matter how desperately Sakura searched through Konoha's medical library, trying to find something, anything, that would help, it was too late. No medical ninjutsu could have helped him at that point.

This was why Sakura dedicated so much of her research into reversing brain damage. At times it seemed impossible, but if Tsunade could develop a jutsu that allowed her to survive being cut in half, anything was possible.

"Make sure you take care of that Hatake boy."

Sakura's head whipped in her great grandmother's direction, "Kakashi?" She had never heard him referred to as a boy before. He had certainly been a man ever since she had known him.

The older woman nodded, "your great grandfather and I used to be best friends with his grandparents." Sakura's eyes widened in shock, why had she never known this before? "We were there the day Sakumo was born." Her eyes crinkled in a smile as she spoke, "it was quite a sight to see a baby born with white hair."

Sakura snickered, "I'm sure he insisted it was silver."

"Like father, like son I suppose." The two women were now laughing together.

"Why hadn't you mentioned any of this before?" Sakura asked, after their giggles died down.

A few moments of silence passed before she finally answered, "they died in the war, a few years after Kakashi was born. After that, we didn't see Sakumo as much." She shrugged her shoulders, "we were at war after all." Sakura didn't miss the pained expression that crossed her face, "My heart used to break every time I thought of his grandparents, and all the suffering that poor family has gone through." A small, sad smile reached her lips, "but, now a Hatake is Hokage. I know they're proud, smiling down on us from above."

Sakura sat quietly, playing nervously with her hands. She desperately wanted to know what happened with Kakashi's father, or just any part of his past, for that matter. Kakashi's past was an enigma. Quite a few of Konoha's records had been destroyed during Pein's invasion, and Sakura wasn't sure if records regarding Kakashi's past existed. Even if she knew the records were there, she still wasn't sure she could pry into his past like that. It felt like spying, but regardless, the temptation was too strong now and she couldn't resist, "if you don't mind me asking, what happened to Sakumo?"

Akira turned towards her, a mixture of surprise, confusion and hurt crossing her face. "If he hasn't told you himself, dear, then I don't believe I should be the one telling you." Sakura lowered her face to her lap, feeling guilty for asking. "I'll tell you this," her head instantly snapped up, not wanting to miss what was coming next, "his death hit Kakashi hard. Harder than most and that poor boy has religiously worn that mask ever since."

Sakura's brows furled in thought, why would his father's death cause him to wear that mask? That threw out their theories of fish lips or crooked teeth. A person doesn't worry about such petty things after the loss of a loved one. No, the reason for his mask was much deeper and more symbolic than her and Naruto had imagined, and perhaps she would never truly know why.

A knock and sound of the door opening drew Sakura from her thoughts, "Akira, I brought you some-," the nurse stopped mid-sentence, "oh, Sakura. I didn't realize you'd be stopping by today." She looked down at the bag in her hands, biting her lip.

Reading her mind, Sakura stood up, "don't worry about the food, umm-," she paused, trying to remember the nurses name, but it was useless. She was terrible at names. "I have to get ready for my shift anyway." Bending down, she pulled her great grandmother into a tight hug, "I'll see you later, okay?"

Sakura was never good at goodbyes.

* * *

The funeral was a small, private affair, with only Sakura's family and close friends in attendance. Kakashi stood quietly, listening as family members recalled memories fondly, before breaking off into silent sobs. It was obvious Akira was a woman who was loved by her family deeply.

Scanning the crowd, Kakashi spotted Sakura. He hadn't seen her since their mission to Kiri, which was a little over a week ago. Currently, her back was turned to him, as she held onto her mother's and Kiba's hands tightly. The soft up and down of her shoulders indicated she was crying, letting her tears fall freely.

Naruto placed his hand on her shoulder, causing the shaking to stop as she turned to see who was there. For the first time since the funeral started, Sakura broke free from Kiba's hand, pulling Naruto into a bone crushing hug. Her face was twisted in agony, as she clenched the fabric of his kimono. The two of them stood silently, embracing each other.

After a few moments, Sakura's eyes fluttered open. Sea foam green met charcoal. Her look of agony turned to what he believed was confusion, as a crease between her brows formed. Was he not supposed to be there?

Breaking her gaze, he turned to scrutinize the crowd. Sai, Yamato, Ino, Shikamaru, Temari, Hinata, Shino, Chouji, TenTen, Lee, Tsunade, and Shizune were all present. All her friends were here, certainly he was supposed to be here too. His eyes met hers again, but she quickly averted her eyes as she finally let go of Naruto. Something was on her mind, but Kakashi wasn't going to dwell on it. She would tell him, whatever it was, when she was ready.

There was a small commotion at the front of the crowd, as Sakura's grandmother fell forward, frantically embracing the gravestone. The sounds of her wailing caused Kakashi to turn and quickly leave the cemetery. A coppery taste filling his mouth, as he bit down on tongue hard. Her grandmother's pleading kept ringing in his ears, _"Mom, please don't leave me."_

Kakashi's chest swelled, as he fought to keep the tears at bay. He bit down harder, angry for almost showing so much emotion. What the hell had gotten into him?

* * *

"You'll never believe what your father did, Sakura." Mebuki scowled in Kizashi's direction.

"There's no telling with him." Sakura rolled her eyes, as she took a bite of food. It had been a little over a month since her great grandmother's funeral, and Mebuki had finally convinced her to bring Kiba over for dinner, saying something about formally meeting him under better circumstances.

Sakura figured it was time anyway. Her and Kiba were now officially dating and practically living together, so she might as well get the formalities over with, sooner, rather than later.

"Hey now," her father scratched his chin, a large grin plastered on his face. "I thought it was rather clever, actually."

"Go on, tell them then." She stabbed at her food, clearly irritated.

"Well, your mother and I were on vacation, at this beautiful resort. Had the hot springs, bed and breakfast, the whole shot." Kizashi's hands moved as he talked, emphasizing every word, "so we go to check out and I see they tacked on an extra 5,000 ryo, an extra 5,000," he paused for dramatic effect, "can you believe that?" Sakura turned to Kiba, rolling her eyes again when she realized he was hanging off every word her father said, "so I turn to the guy working the counter, and I asked him why the hell they were charging me all these extra fees. The guy looks at me and goes, 'sir, those are the resort fees. For amenities, such as the spa and gym.'" Kizashi's voice deepened, as he poorly mimicked the hotel workers voice, "I said, 'resort fees, what for? I didn't even use the spa.' The guy just responds with, 'well sir, you could have.'" Kizashi paused, throwing his hands in the air as if saying, _can you believe that shit?_ "Then I mentioned to him that I didn't use the gym either, but this guy says again, 'well sir, you could have.' At this point I'm irritated so I go, 'Well sir, I'm deducting 3,000 ryo for you fucking my wife.'" Sakura's chopsticks dropped from her hand in surprise, "and the guy quickly responds, 'but sir, I didn't sleep with your wife.' So I looked him right in the eye and said, 'well sir, you could have."

Kiba threw his head back, laughing so hard he almost tipped his chair. Sakura's hand covered her mouth as she tried to stifle her laugh. The death glare her mother was giving them was the only thing keeping her from laughing as heartily as Kiba.

"Don't encourage him!" Her mother threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. Kizashi sat there, grinning from ear to ear, clearly pleased with himself.

"Sorry, mom." Sakura was still trying not to laugh. She normally wouldn't even smirk at her father's antics, but she couldn't help it this time. It didn't help that Kiba was now happily wiping the tears from his eyes, his shoulders still slightly shaking with each laugh. "Don't egg him on!" Sakura playfully slapped his arm, laughing harder when their eyes met.

"Unbelievable." Mebuki stood up abruptly, shaking her head as she went to the kitchen.

"I'll take some too!" Sakura called after her mother, knowing she was headed to grab some much-needed sake.

The rest of dinner passed by quickly, as Kiba and Kizashi joked back and forth, much to her and Mebuki's expense, but Sakura didn't mind. It warmed her heart to see Kiba getting along so well with her family.

After a while, Sakura and Kiba said their goodbyes, happily walking side by side towards his house. His arm was draped comfortably around her shoulders, keeping her warm against the cold, winter air. "You know," Kiba looked down at her, a smile plastered on his face, "we should go on a little getaway together."

Sakura's heart leapt as she looked up at him surprised, "really?" She had never been on a romantic getaway before. Sasuke was her only previous boyfriend, and it kind of went without saying that he wasn't into that type of thing.

"Of course!" Kiba squeezed her body closer, if that was at all possible, "I've got some time off in two weeks. Think you could move your schedule around?"

She was now beaming up at him, her excitement clearly etched on her face, "I'm sure I could, but where would we go?"

"I was thinking maybe a cruise on one of those flying ships?" His eyebrow arched as he looked down at her, gauging her reaction.

Sakura's eyes widened, "even after what happened with the Tobishachimaru?"

"Oh, come on, those things have been flying for over a year now and nothing has happened since." Kiba's tattooed cheeks rose as he smirked, "besides, I've been told they have nice honeymoon suites."

"But we aren't married."

She rolled her eyes, but Kiba stopped walking, "marry me then." The smirk on his face was replaced with a soft, hopeful smile.

Sakura's jaw dropped, "Ki- what?"

"Marry me, Sakura." He took his hands in hers.

"Are you joking?" He shook his head, "Kiba, we've only been together a few months. It's a little fast, don't you think?" She bit her lip nervously. Yes, Kiba made her incredibly happy and she looked forward to coming home to him every night, but she wanted their relationship to be a little more established before they made that type of commitment together. Would he understand that?

Kiba's smile faltered, but was quickly replaced with a mischievous grin, "it is. I just wanted to see the look on your face when I asked." The look in his eyes didn't quite match his grin, "but I wouldn't complain if you said yes." He laughed softly, pulling her back underneath his arm as they began walking again.

Sakura placed her arm around his waist, tucking her head in the crook of his arm, "I just want to be more established before we make that leap together, is all. I'm sorry, Kiba." Her hand unconsciously tensed as she grew nervous, hoping he would understand.

"Relax, Sakura," the warm look in his eyes as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead told her everything she needed to know. He understood.

Sakura pulled away slightly, smirking, "well, we could still get that honeymoon suite."

* * *

Sakura fell back on the bed, her arms outstretched with a smile. "Can you believe all these pillows?" She asked excitedly as she pulled one of the decorative pillows to her chest.

"Don't squeeze it too tight, that things bound to burst." Kiba dropped their bags at the foot of the bed, throwing himself beside her.

Sakura let out a squeal as the force of his body hitting the bed threw hers slightly into the air. "Did you pack on a few pounds?!" She giggled, placing her head on his chest as she lovingly patted his stomach, but he didn't have a chance to respond before she let out another squeal. "Look at this! It's umeshu!" She climbed over him, excitedly holding up the bottle, "I've always wanted to try this!"

Smirking, Kiba placed his hands on her hips, pulling her forcefully on top of him, "how about we crack that open and have a little fun?"

The bottle rolled on the floor, forgotten, as Kiba's lips crashed onto hers. They'd have to save that bottle for later.

* * *

Looking out the window at the vast land beneath them, Sakura sighed happily. Her head was resting peacefully on Kiba's shoulder. It was the last night of their vacation, but she was too far caught up her in her bliss-like state to think about such things. Words couldn't truly describe the peacefulness of her little getaway. There were no medical emergencies, pulling her from her sleep at odd hours of the night. No rambunctious teammates pulling her into early morning trainings. No stuffy council meetings to prepare for. No seemingly endless paperwork to complete. She could truly relax here.

"Inuzuka Kiba?" The couple broke apart, turning to see one of the ships employees standing behind them. "Sorry to bother you, but I have a message."

Kiba's brow creased as he stepped forward, accepting the scroll. His shoulders blocked Sakura's view, but when she heard the rustling of the scroll, she could visibly see his body tense. Quickly closing the scroll, he shoved the letter in his vest, as he thanked the employee.

Wordlessly, he turned around, looking out the window once again, as he absentmindedly pulled Sakura to his side. From the tone in his voice, it was clear he was annoyed.

"Is everything okay?" Sakura looked up at him, concerned.

He took a deep breath before answering, "yeah, just work related." His eyes flickered over to hers, silently telling her not to dig any deeper.

Sakura bit her lip, deep in thought. Something about the look in his eyes bothered her. His work as a member of the ANBU was rarely discussed between them, and certainly wasn't to be talked about in such a public place, but she couldn't fight the nagging feeling that he wasn't being completely honest with her. Why would he have such a visible reaction to a mission scroll? And why wouldn't they wait to send the mission details when he was back in Konoha tomorrow morning? Wasn't there some risk in sending such classified information outside of the city walls?

Tamping down on the feeling of uneasiness rising inside her, Sakura faked a smile. "Shall we grab some dinner?" She asked, as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the dining hall.

He had never given her a reason to doubt him before, and she wasn't about to let her unwarranted thoughts get in the way of their vacation.

After all, she trusted him.


End file.
